The couple “became engaged while away for the weekend in Italy earlier this month,” the palace said.

Celebrity

Beatrice’s tycoon fiance and his controversial past

by Stephen Drill, staff writers

27th Sep 2019 8:41 AM
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AS THE royal family prepares for yet another wedding, reports have emerged that Princess Beatrice's newly minted fiance has a somewhat complicated past.

The 31-year-old royal's fiance is Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, a multi-millionaire Italian property tycoon who was engaged to marry the mother of his two-year-old son before they suddenly split last year.

Beatrice and Mapelli Mozzi announced their engagement on Thursday (local time) just 11 months after the couple first started dating seriously following her sister Princess Eugenie's wedding in October 2018.

Friends of Beatrice have said the Italian helped mend the royal's broken heart after she split with longtime boyfriend in 2016 after 10 years together.

Dara Huang. Picture: Instagram

Dara Huang is an architect. Picture: Instagram

Mozzi (known as Edo to his friends) is the entrepreneur son of a skiing aristocrat named Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi.

He has found happiness with Beatrice after his engagement to glamorous Chinese-American architect Dara Huang came to an abrupt halt last year.

"The wedding will take place in 2020. Further details will be announced in due course."

The couple issued a statement saying: "We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement. We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can't wait to be married."

The Palace tweeted these images of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Princess Beatrice is the daughter of Prince Andrew.

"We share so many similar interests and values and we know this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness."

The Duke and Duchess of York issued a statement saying: "We are thrilled that Beatrice and Edoardo have got engaged, having watched their relationship develop with pride. We are the lucky parents of a wonderful daughter who has found her love and companion in a completely devoted friend and loyal young man. We send them every good wish for a wonderful family future."

A photo of the ring taken by Beatrice

"It's been a long time coming and you two are meant to be," Eugenie said via Instagram.

Princess Beatrice's mum, Sarah Ferguson, tweeted: "I know what a mother feels, so I have tears of joy. I am so proud of this sensational news. Andrew and I are just the luckiest people ever to have two great sons-in-law."

"Our family has known Beatrice for most of her life. Edo and Beatrice are made for each other, and their happiness and love for each other is there for all to see. They share an incredibly strong and united bond, their marriage will only strengthen what is already a wonderful relationship."

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at an event in London in March. Picture: Getty Images

The happy news comes amid ongoing woes for Prince Andrew, who has recently been forced to defend himself over damaging accusations about his friendship with the late US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Beatrice's sister Eugenie married a wealthy wine merchant, Jack Brooksbank, last year at a glitzy wedding at Windsor Castle, which was packed with celebrities, and included a horse-drawn carriage parade.

The wedding bore strong similarities to that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle earlier in the year.

Beatrice and Eugenie are ninth and 10th in the line of succession to the British throne